Finally, I arrived at the town hall. Before going to the bank, I first needed to exchange my Tyllill crystals to Rep points.
In the morning, the place wasn't at all crowded. And there it was, my old friend — terminal can't-remember-its-number...
Greetings, Olgerd!
This is Mellenville administration Terminal #312.
Would you like to check the Reputation Quests available?
No, I wouldn't. I clicked on the Menu. What did we have here? Aha... Resource exchange. So! The list was impressive. They had all sorts of things: Red Coal... Turquoise Manyl... Imitra Stone... and there they were, my Tyllill crystals. The exchange rate hadn't changed: still 1:10. I clicked on it.
You currently have 57,700 Tyllill crystals on your account.
Would you like to exchange them for Reputation points?
I heaved a weary sigh. Yes, please.
Congratulations! You've just added a valuable resource to the city treasury!
Reward: +5770 to your Reputation with Mellenville.
Phew. That seemed to be it. The things I'd suffered to lay my hands on those crystals! In total, I now had 8,550 Rep points: more than enough to view the desired page. Time to get going. I was finished here.
A surprise awaited me as I exited the building. Tanor, as large as life and twice as ugly, was standing there cross-armed, grinning.
"Morning, Sir Olgerd!"
I looked around me in surprise. Doubtful he was there alone.
"Don't worry. No one's going to bother us."
I sighed. "Your name should really be Tanor the Ubiquitous."
He laughed and made a mocking bow. "I'll have to think about that. Thank you."
"You're welcome. If you'll excuse me, I have things to do."
"You don't seem to have taken our offer seriously, do you?" he shouted at my back.
He was too much. I swung round. "You can't even imagine how seriously I've taken it. You've been the only person on my mind for the last few hours."
"Then what are you doing here?" he nodded at the building behind my back.
"I can't remember selling myself into your slavery yet to be hold accountable for my every move."
He smirked. "Please don't be like that with me."
I shrugged. "That's the way I am. You think I don't know what you need?"
"Well, if you do, what's the point of complicating things?" he raised his hands in mock incomprehension. "What did you expect to exchange here? A miserable handful of crystals that the Citadel NPCs mete out to players like yourself? You're about to run to the bank to apply for a loan. This is all children's games. You'd better think of all the prospects of your joining our clan."
"I thought you gave me a week to make up my mind. Is that correct?" I'd have loved to see his face if he found out the exact number of crystals I had just declared.
He nodded. "I remember. I'm just trying to save you from any hasty decisions."
So much for freedom of movement. I hadn't even signed up with them yet and already they were applying pressure.
I walked over and got in his face. "Tell your bosses they shouldn't worry about me. I will inform them of my decision before the deadline expires. And please stop following me! Do you really think I don't understand I have no choice?"
He tilted his head to one side. "That's exactly what we thought. Well, what did you expect? Last night, you and I had a really nice talk, and now we receive a report that my Ennan friend has just been sighted in Mellenville. You've no idea how important you are for us."
Yeah right. Pull the other one. "Talk about important," I said seriously. "Has it even occurred to you that I might make a deal with some other clan?"
What an interesting reaction. He didn't flinch a single facial muscle.
"Sir Olgerd," he sounded bored. "This was the first thing we took care of. Have you ever wondered why not a single head hunter tried to approach you in these last few hours?"
He was right. Rrhorgus had indeed told me about a few clans wondering where they could find me.
"That got you thinking, eh?"
"I'm pretty sure you have an explanation."
He smiled. "Of course. We came to an agreement about you a long time ago. We had to make a few arrangements and pay off a few people, but that's irrelevant."
"I see," I added a note of sarcasm to my voice. "Really, why ask me if you can do it behind my back?"
Tanor stepped towards me and pinned me down with his glare. "Listen, Sir Olgerd," he said through clenched teeth, "if someone has already put you in the picture regarding your char, we'd better be brutally honest. Surely you didn't think anyone would allow you to control it yourself?"
Oh well, at least I'd managed to throw him. "I can't see why not. I read the Terms and Conditions before registering. They're very clear that no one has the right to interfere with my gaming experience."
"Who says anything about interfering? The game offers plenty of ways to influence a player's decision without interfering with his or her gaming experience. You've just been lucky enough not to come across it yet. Having said that... oh yes, you have. If I remember rightly, some time ago you had quite a close shave with some instance mobs... arachnids, if I'm not mistaken. I can see that you remember! And this is peanuts compared to some other things one can do to you. The funny thing is, the admins won't lift a finger. They're the ones who made such scenarios possible to begin with. I suggest you give it some good thought."
"I'll do my best," I tried to keep my voice firm and level. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other things to do."
I turned my back to him and headed for the bank. So much for their promises. A nine-to-five job! A quiet location! A friendly atmosphere! Yeah, right, dream on. The most unpleasant thing in this situation was that I really saw no other way. I was like the proverbial fly caught under a glass. The freedom was just out there, I could see it but I couldn't break free. For the first time in all my time in the game I regretted not having deleted my Ennan. Dmitry had suggested I did it, too!
I should have chosen a dwarf. Joined the Stonefoot guild. Too late to think about it now.
The bank's doors loomed in front of me. I was dying to turn around for a look. But no, I wasn't going to give him the pleasure. He was probably standing there grinning.
The Central Office of the Reflex Bank was deadly quiet. I looked around me. Not a single person; nothing at all apart from row after row of the already-familiar "parking meters".
I delved deep into the thick of them, trying to get as far from the front door and any prying eyes as possible. Stop. This one might do.
Greetings, Olgerd!
This is Reflex Bank Terminal # 567
Hello to you too, tin can. Now! Let's click on the Menu. The Loans page.
I was still shaking with anger. Calm down, Olgerd man. Calm down. This Tanor was only a pawn in a much bigger game. Even though he admittedly annoyed the hell out of me.
Would you like to apply for a loan?
Accept/Decline
Accept, definitely.
Available services by Reflex Bank:
Express Loan:
Maximum 3000 gold for up to 10 months.
Medium Term Loan:
Maximum 20,000 gold for up to 6 years
Long Term Loan:
Amount: Negotiable
Term: Negotiable
My virtual heart was thrashing about in my chest, trying to break free. I was only interested in Long Term Loans.
Verifying the applicant's personal data
A download bar appeared on the terminal's monitor, its color gradually changing from yellow to green. A percentage count began flashing inside the bar. Very well. I could wait.
98%...
99%...
100%
It looked like it was finished.
The applicant's personal data analysis completed.
Name: Olgerd
Race: Ennan
Account type: Daily Grind
Profess
ion: Mine Digger
Skill level: Master
Workplace: Drammen and Its Environments
Employer: Melorie, the Lady of Storms
Work contract type: Permanent
Reputation with Mellenville: 8550 pt.
Time in game since last login: 28 days
If the above information is correct, press Submit Application.
If you discovered an error, please contact Customer Support.
Okay, let's check it again... all right. Everything seemed to be fine. I pressed Submit Application.
Thank you! Your information has been submitted. Processing it might take several minutes.
We appreciate your patience.
Very well, then. Several minutes was nothing. I'd been waiting for almost a month already. I could wait a bit more.
I might actually check out some deposit boxes to keep my little chests and boxes in. I had a bagful of loot on me, didn't I?
Right, a safe deposit box. What did we have here? The choice wasn't that big, after all. The smallest volume allowed was twenty slots, followed by fifty, a hundred, etc.
There were several things to keep in mind. You could rent a box: either on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis, depending on your needs. Long-term rent was more interesting, considering all the potential bonuses and discounts. That was good news. Price per slot, too, was considerably smaller on large boxes. A 20-slot one would cost you 60 gold a month while a 50-slot one was only 125 gold, saving you 50 silver on each slot.
And what if I rented a 100-slot one? Firstly, because I tended to deal mainly with stones, and this particular resource had the tendency to quickly take up all the available bag space. Secondly, I liked the price. Two gold per slot. That was two hundred a month: costly but on the other hand it was worth it. Knowing that all your possessions are safe under lock and key makes you feel better. The only problem was, they could freeze your cell if you missed a payment and you wouldn't be able to get your stuff back until you paid it plus all the relevant dues.
That wasn't so bad, really. I remembered forum members saying that the rules used to be much tougher when the game had just started out. The unpaid stuff simply disappeared, once and for all, and couldn't be reclaimed. It hadn't lasted long, naturally, because it had caused a godawful outcry among forum members. The admins had to handle kilotons of messages, mainly threats and complaints. Because everyone was complaining! Who would like to lose a valuable item to a stupidly missed payment? Especially if the payment had been missed due to some justifiable real-life problem. One could fall ill or get married — even have a baby, after all.
That was it, then. I'd better take a 100-slot one. And pay for three months: they had a discount running.
My wallet became almost 600 gold poorer.
Congratulations! You've created a safe deposit box!
What now? Should we start opening Christmas gifts?
What a strange feeling. I wasn't really angry with Tanor anymore — but my hands kept shaking. The situation was unconventional, I had to agree. There I was waiting for the bank to grant me a loan, and I found nothing better to do in the meantime than to open my hard-earned loot. Crazy.
So, let's do it. Where do we begin? The biggest prize, obviously. Off we go!
I pressed the scarlet-red icon of the Precious Wrought-Iron Chest, its iridescent surface exuding rays of magic. This was the treasure guarded by the giant serpent.
Are you sure you want to open the Precious Wrought-Iron Chest?
Accept/Decline
Of course I was sure. No need to ask.
The moment I clicked Accept, the system offered the following cynical message:
Unfortunately, your level isn't high enough to perform the requested action.
Level required: 50
Bummer! They can shove their restrictions up their- Actually, what about other boxes?
Are you sure you want to open the Wrought-Iron Box?
Accept/Decline
Yes, I'm sure, dammit!
Calm down, Olgerd. Get a grip.
Unfortunately, your level is not high enough to perform the requested action.
Level required: 30
How could I calm down when this was happening? With a heavy heart I began opening the remaining items: first the Steel Chests, then the Carved Wooden Boxes and finally, the Pouches. I wasn't holding my breath. Predictably, the result was the same everywhere. Even to open the Torn Pouch, you still had to be level 10-plus.
Oh well. Shit happens. I closed my weary eyes and rubbed my temples. Strangely enough, my anger seemed to have disappeared. I'm not the kind of person to hold grudges. At least I'd tried. And I could still auction everything which was good news. Still, I had a hunch that it would have been much better for me to open these sorts of things myself. Unfortunately, with my account type I could forget it. And as for the auction... I shouldn't rush it. I absolutely needed to talk to Rrhorgus first. He was the expert.
What a shame I'd rented a 100-slot box! Fifty would have been plenty. Never mind. It's always better to leave it here out of harm's way. I'd very nearly been robbed once already.
As I moved the items into the safe deposit box, the terminal offered a new message,
Dear Olgerd,
We have processed your personal information. To receive a consultation regarding your request, please proceed to Floor 2, Office 1 of the banking center.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Did they even have a Floor 2? The building looked one-story from the outside. Never mind. Where was I supposed to go?
I wandered around the hall for a bit until I finally found a short passage leading to a stairwell. The narrow marble stairs and the wrought-iron banister reminded me of an old house in Madrid where I'd once stayed on business for a month. Outside, it had been scorching hot, the sun was blazing but inside it was cool and shady. They don't build houses like this anymore.
I hurried up two flights of stairs and stopped on a banistered landing facing the only door. A number 1 glittered gold on the dark-blue sign. Looked like I'd got to the right place. I cast a cautious look around me just in case and tapped on the wood.
"Come in," a calm voice said.
The door handle turned with ease.
I had to rub my eyes. I hadn't expected to see this at all.
After all the medieval halls, inn beds, tavern rooms and magic shops, the sight of a modern office took me slightly aback.
Dark gray filing cabinets, boxfuls of papers, a printer, a black computer screen, the rustle of an old aircon... Vinyl windows...
Windows? I couldn't believe my eyes. They opened into the real world!
Ignoring the office worker at the desk, I walked slowly to the window, unable to take my eyes off it.
It was cloudy outside. Judging by the wet tarmac, the rain had just stopped. The sun tentatively showed its pale yellow flank from behind the dispersing clouds. People filled the sidewalks below. Real people. Not dwarves, not Alves, not goddamn Horruds but real breathing human beings.
Jesus. It felt so good seeing them. Children, teenagers, old people and young couples — all wearing normal street clothes, jackets and raincoats, many with umbrellas. A white bus drove past, closely followed by a yellow taxi. The cabman signaled left, trying to overtake the cumbersome behemoth. The rich green foliage of the maple trees lining the road was still loosing off occasional raindrops.
"How do you like the view?" a calm, dry voice made me jump. Reluctantly I tore my gaze away from the window.
A man of about fifty years of age sat in an office chair behind a large desk. His bald patch glowed like a polished billiard ball. He had an aquiline nose and small dark eyes under bushy eyebrows. His intelligent gaze was sort of weary.
His skinny shoulders shuddered. "It's wet, isn't it?" he added without waiting for me to reply. "They promise more showers tonight. Would you like to take a seat?"
Slowly I lowered my body into the chair he'd pointed me to. I must have really looked out of
place in this setting.
As if second-guessing my thoughts, the man wheezed, "You're quite a sight, Sir Olgerd, I tell you. Still, it's better than being a Horrud, I suppose. I doubt my office would survive a visit from one."
He said it matter-of-factly without even a shadow of sarcasm. Strangely enough, he hadn't even looked up at me yet. He kept staring at his computer screen, occasionally clicking the mouse.
"And as for this view," he went on, "it shouldn't surprise you. We're still in the game. This is a different server, that's all. The street view is an illusion. A video clip. All thanks to our wretched shrinks and their ideas. They think that this kind of scene sets the right tone for our customers for the upcoming conversation. Judging by your expression, they were probably right. Now!"
He fell silent as he tapped his long fingers on the keyboard. The glow of the computer screen reflected in his glasses. His thin lips moved as he mouthed something.
Finally he coughed into his fist and turned his attention from the screen to myself. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name's Victor Pavlov. No, please remain seated. I don't think we'll be able to shake hands in this environment. I'd rather save both your and my time and not explain to you the nature of this phenomenon."
"As you wish."
"Excellent. So let's move straight to business. We know you need a large sum of money."
"That's right," I offered weakly.
He nodded and glanced back at the screen. "You've made some impressive progress, I have to admit. In less than a month, you've managed to meet all our conditions."
I sensed my lips stretch into a tentative smile.
"You've found permanent employment," he continued, reading from the screen. "Let me tell you that you're the first player in my experience who's managed to raise his Reputation so high in such a short period of time."
The Citadel (Mirror World Book #2) Page 27